Out in the Cold
by Rathnait Rouz
Summary: We've all read the stories of the fantastic five, but what if it was Victor that had a guest with him on the space station. Someone that was loyal to him someone who would give everything to help him, not Reed Richards.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

It was cold. But then again it was almost always cold in New York City. At least, that's what she'd come to learn over the last month of living here. She had moved up from the south and was not use to the weather in the northern part of the country, yet, but she would be. She had always been good at adapting.

She had been in the city for a couple of weeks and had found work at a bar. It wasn't a horrible place to work and it put money in her pocket. Which was something she was in desperate need of. The city was crowded and finding a place to live on the amount of money she had was nearly impossible.

At first she had found a group home where she had been staying for a while. It was affordable if not entirely legal. Everyone one there worked so it was hardly crowded considering 8 people lived there, unless of course you needed as shower, then there was somebody always in there. Not that she really considered showering there. The idea of getting undressed in a place full of strangers never sat well with her.

Unfortunately yesterday had seen to it that she left her temporary home. There was always a danger living with others in one place, something she had been cautious of every time she had slept there but, it was still a surprised to be wakened by someone groping you. He had originally just meant to find the cash she had no doubt stashed upon her person, making a rather awful robber, to be honest. Most would be if they tried in his intoxicated state. In such a mindset he was unwilling or unable to resist his more carnal urges.

It had been a mistake he wouldn't soon be making again, as he now sponsored a broken hand, leg and nose. The only problem was she was back on the streets for the nights, as she was not willing to stay where she knew she would indeed find trouble. She had left, and was now out in the cold.

So she now sat atop an ally fire escape to a building she had no desire to enter. It was getting close to four in the morning and she hadn't manage to get any sleep that night; just another one for the count. The nights were rare when she manage to get anything near well rested.

Shifting against the cold metal bars that were jammed into her back. She sent a silent prayer that the clouds gathering overhead wouldn't open and start pouring. Considering the part of the country she was now in, she wasn't going to hold her breath. Adding to her increasing misery the temperature was near freezing and being wet was one more thing she didn't want to deal with.

Her attention was taken from thoughts of the weather to the sound of shouting to the entrance of the ally. A SUV of some color had blocked off the only entrance into the ally and there looked to be some sort of a struggle in the area around it.

When the first gun shot went off and she watched a body fall to the ground, she knew her roost was no longer safe and it was time to move. She had heard of gangs in the city and she knew she wanted no part of that business.

Adrenaline had shot through her veins as the gunshot had reached her roost. As she made ready to climb farther up towards the roof she noticed finely dressed man break away from the group and turn to get back into a door that lead from a posh club. The door refused to open and the man turned to watch as four men advancing on him.

"You will regret this, I promise you. I will make you wish you had never even opened your eyes this morning. There's a reason nobody messes with me." His voice, as it reached her, was rough with anger and surprisingly no fear.

With a sinking feeling in her gut, she realized it was a kidnapping. Before she could talk herself out of it she was climbing down towards the conflict and not away. With the adrenaline still coursing through her body she silently scrambled down to the ground.

Four against one were never good odd especially when the antagonist looked to be armed to the teeth and ex-military to boot. She was most definitely regretting waking up this morning.

The only advantage she had was surprise, and she would damn well make the most of it. As the leader on the group of men got close enough to touch the would-be kidnaped victim; she struck. Lashing out to the guy in the back of the group. Using a piece of pipe she scavenged from the alley, she smashed it into the back of the man's head right at the base of his skull. Before he could make a sound he on his way to the ground unconscious.

Before his body hit the ground she was moving again. She took out the man on her right with a swift front kick to the side of his knee breaking his leg closest to her and swung the pipe up into his jaw as he fell. Her surprise was now gone, and the other three were reacting to her unexpected presence.

She grabbed the next man's outstretched wrist which was pointing a gun at her and twisted her body around and using the momentum to through him over her shoulder taking the gun in the process. Not even turning as she fired a shot into the leg of the man behind her. As he stumbled to the ground he squeezed the trigger. The bullet missed and she pistol whipped the side of his head. Turning she ducked and rolled to the ground just in time to avoid the knife that cut a path across the area she had just stood.

AS she pulled up from the roll the knife wielding man didn't give her a chance to fire the gun as he closed the distance between them, knowing it was his only hope. He charge with a brutal slash at her abdomen, and she danced to the side. Gripping the pipe in her hand not occupied with the gun she swung to intercept his knife as it descended to her once again. As the man pushed on her with the knife knowing his strength would beat hers, and she bought up the gun in her left hand and pulled the trigger catching him twice in the stomach.

He collapsed to the ground and she kicked the knife away from his hands. Turning around just as the sound of gunfire went off behind her she watched as the man she had thrown earlier collapsed back to the ground a bullet through his forehead.

Her eyes traveled to the man the group of mercenaries had been targeting and raised her hands up as she looked through the gun barrel of a previously dropped gun pointed at her. Well, at least he had some brains. Most people would have just stood there and been left helpless.

"You know pointing a gun at the person that just saved your ass, is a pretty poor repayment."

He seemed to agree as he lowered the gun till it hung limply in his hands.

"Come on," she gestured for him to follow her, "I dunno about you but I don't really want to wait for anyone else to show up to this party."

He followed her silently as she started out of the ally, only to stop as he came across two bodies. She recognized by their dress coats that they must have been his men who had fallen at the beginning of the debacle.

She was surprised to see a look of disgust pass over his features as he glared down at his fallen men. With a derisive snort he kicked out at one of the bodies' feet.

"I paid them a fortune and they didn't last five minutes. 'The best of the best.' I was promised and yet some street rat managed to do what 'the best' couldn't."

His tone was derisive and he sneered down at his fallen men.

She blinked, showing no other response to his assessment. It was rather hostile approach and a backhanded compliment if she had ever heard one.

She scratched the back of her neck as awkwardness descended on her. She wasn't quite sure how to reply to that comment. As he turned his dark gaze onto her.

She stared at him and he stared back. She was suddenly struck by his appearance, now finally having time to take it in. He had dark hair and matching dark eyes. The streets lights didn't reach all into the ally, so she wasn't sure the exact color. What light did reach them threw his face in harsh contrast. Making his striking jawline and cheekbones look crafted from hard grey stone. She supposed he would have been very handsome during the day. At the moment though he struck her as a rather cruel figure.

Breaking away from the impromptu staring contest they had gotten into she started for the busy road. The roads were always busy here, no matter the indecent hour.

"Come on I'll flag you a taxi, you probably want to be back to civilization already." She tossed a sardonic grin to him over her shoulder as she made her way to the street.

She could feel the pumping music coming from the club next to her as she walked. Mixed with the flagging adrenaline it had a rather disconcerting effect on her head making her feel like she was walking in a fog. She supposed it was just the shock and exhaustion of the night's events catching up to her body. God was she tired.

Coming to a stop at the curb she felt his presents gracefully glide up next to her. She wondered how it was he could do that after just being held at gunpoint. Maybe, she decided as she attempted on flagging down one of the many yellow cabs that would hopefully bring this night to a close, she didn't want to know.

As she finally got ones attention and it slowed down in front of the pair she felt a slick drop of moisture fall on her head. She raised her face and looked up as the clouds finally decided to open up, and the rain poured down. She couldn't find the energy to feel annoyed as her clothes soon became sopping wet.

She turned her attention back to the man getting into the bright interior of the vehicle in front of her. As he took his seat, water running off his hair and somehow miraculously not getting on his face, he turned to her.

"I don't think we ever properly introduced ourselves. My names Victor, Victor Von Doom."

Chapter 1

Charlotte "Charlie" O'Brien stood facing the floor to ceiling window that made up two of the walls in the pent house office of Von Doom Industries. She had been working for Victor Von Doom since that fateful night over two years ago.

Head of security and personal bodyguard to the CEO himself. Quite a step up in the world from the homeless starving bartender she had started as in this city.

Out of boredom she studied her reflection in the glass just ahead of her. It was something she didn't often do. It reflect the image of a woman who was slightly taller then what would be considered attractive for a woman, standing at five feet ten inches she made an impress silhouette. Her wavy long blonde tresses were secured behind her in a tight braid that fell to her shoulder blades that did nothing to take away or enhance any beauty that one might find in her face. Her light brown eyes had hard in appearance as she surveyed herself, a frown marring her otherwise striking face.

Her body was toned, and strong muscles wrapped around her frame that were slightly too large to be considered attractive. It was necessary though for her job, as she fought strong and fast people. If she wanted to make it out alive in a fight she had to be stronger and faster. She trained her body often enough to make sure she was.

She didn't wear a business suit, which would have been much more typical of a company security head. No, instead her outfit was purely practical for fighting. Her pants black thick material with barely noticeable padding on the knee's and inner thighs. Combat boots laced on her feet. A black quarter length tee shirt adorned her torso and upper body with a sharp looking suit jacket thrown over to appease her boss's sense of propriety and decorum. Every article was created especially for her needs and fighting style while still managing to look ridiculous expensive that it was.

She wore a leather gun holster that hung over her back and under her arms. She had a set of throwing knives concealed in the small of her back and two thick combat knives hidden elsewhere. She had more holsters and knives that went around her thighs, but those she only wore if she was expecting trouble. Not for a typical day at the office.

Having enough of the dower reflection in the window, she turned and faced the man sitting at the large black desk that took up a good portion of the large room. He appeared to be going over some documents on the computer pad in front of him. She knew it showed the same thing it had been showing for weeks now.

"You seem to be going through all of trouble to get this one guy under your thumb, and while he does seem like a legit genius what he is seeking do is extremely dangerous. Personally and professionally. Why him? The risk is very high?"

Victor frowned at her over his work before sighing and leaning back into his chair. He brought his hand up and traced the line of his lips with a finger as he debated on how to answer her question.

"Reed Richards and I have a history as it were. We attended together at MIT. Both science majors. His focus was genetics while I took a broader approach to the subject. Knowing that I would be faced with overseeing a larger variety of specialties then he ever would." He paused for a moment in what, she could only guess, reflecting over past memories."

"People like Richards annoy me. Not because they think themselves better than us. For as you know me, and the people I have worked with before, this is no bother to me. No, it is that Richards and all men like him hide their narcissism behind fronts of frail humbleness and modesty they think men should be endowed with. They project an image of a tormented, angst ridden scientist who bears all the burdens in the world. With the deluded belief that there is no one else with the knowledge or skill who could possible compare to themselves.

The truth of the matter is completely opposite. To top that aggravating view they have, the rest of society struggles and forces themselves to learn and achieve beyond what other believe them capable of. Men like Reed Richards are complete naturals and are born with a mental process that far outperforms you average mans and yet they have the nerve to act like long suffering heroes."

Charlie wasn't really surprised by his answer, nor that it seemed he had put a great amount of thought into the answer. He never did anything without much thought and lots of planning.

"So this whole business deal is a way to what..? Get a back at a passed rival? Put a high minded fool in his place? Because it to be frank about it, it appears he's already there." She said as she pointed to a magazine, whose front cover proclaimed the mentioned man in bankrupt and in danger of losing his home.

"That," he waved his hand dismissively at the magazine between them, "just feeds his justification for seeing himself as the scientific world's unsung hero. A scapegoat that's been lamented upon by those who are uneducated. Never mind the fact that he refuses to even remote attempt anything that doesn't come naturally to him. If he can't understand it immediately then he will put no further effort into it. So this business deal," he smirked at her, "will rub it in his face that he doesn't know everything. Plus it will be a bit of fun and it will be my turn to gloat."

He seemed very pleased with himself, and she wasn't going to attempt further to understand whatever nonsensical bubble had momentarily encompassed his brain. School rivalries were something that stood beyond her. She had learned long ago, that there were some things that she didn't want to know enough, to put the effort into trying.

Deciding to change the subject she asked,

"Did you want me to send someone to attend his briefing at NASA, as a reminder of the deal they have with your company and to smooth their compliance?

I believe that Loraine Corsane is down there now for the preliminaries for the maintenance conference that is happening next week."

He was back scanning his computer pad again.

"No... I think you should go. If I remember correctly you made some lasting impressions last time. It will be good for you and them"

The smile he gave her was not inviting. It was evil, pure and complete evil.

She should have never made fun of that ridiculous statue that he had built. The damn thing was practically a shrine; one large melodramatic narcissistic waste of money.

For whatever reason, he hadn't been particularly pleased when she had voice her thoughts on the matter. Bastard.

Now this was payback, and it was going to drive her to drinking going back to NASA. The last time had been Von Doom proving he had the NASA scientist by the balls. The people had viewed her with derision and fear.

He had sent her to participate on some of the astronaut training that she had found absolutely useless. We'll, except for the physical part, she had to hand it to them the guys they sent up were in top shape. Anyways to say the people there were less than pleased with her presence last time was an understatement, but she did make an impression.

"When do I leave?"

"We'll Richards is doing his presentation tomorrow, so you should get there before he does."

He waved his hand dismissively and she took it as her queue to leave.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She officially hated ever setting eyes on the Von Doom statue, and she had only been at NASA for an hour. Unfortunately they appeared to remember her and had immediately shepherded her around the place for a "we're awesome' tour that was completely unnecessary.

She was already acquainted with the floor plans and all the rooms in the building and had kept up enough to know most of projects they were working on.

She did find it somewhat humorous that the woman showing her around wouldn't look her in the eye, or even her face, or anywhere above her shoes actually.

Then of course, they had locked her in the conference room that Dr. Richards was supposed to later give his presentation in and left her there.

She decide to allocated one of the chairs and sat looking out on Washington DC as she waited for this whole thing to be over. In her lap sat the file she had requested yesterday on Dr. Richards and his work theoretical, practical and in the experimental fields of astrophysics. It also included his background going all the way to his birth record. It was an interesting read, but she was glad she had brought a guide to genetics and physics so she could understand at least some of the science jargon that littered the pages.

Everything pointed to the brilliance of the man's mind and she could see why most people were intimidated by his mind. It also seemed that he had no people skills and had rubbed many investors, business people and possible allies the wrong way and Victor wasn't the only one out for a little retribution against the scientist. Only he was the most vicious and powerful so he got to Richards first. The man's life was surround by politics, that he had no interest in learned nor want to deal with. For that she could empathize with the poor scientist.

She was surprised to discover the man's connection to the Von Doom Head of Genetic Research; Susan Storm, and reading between the lines guess at the romantic relationship that had apparently not lasted. It also showed a little more of Victor's petty side, because she knew that it had a lot to do with Victor's current relationship with said woman. She liked Susan Storm well enough she seemed kind, and was always polite when they interacted. Beautiful, intelligent and honest. She had also displayed a strong sense of loyalty when it came to her brother. Something that had set well with Charlie.

After three hours of self-study with a bottle of water as her only companion the two doors in the conference room open and two people shuffled in. One was and older black man that had a toned body but not too lean like a runner. The other man however looked like a block of muscle. He had no hair on his head but Charlie would put his age around mid to late thirties. She had a flitting thought wondering if the baldness was a choice or genetics.

They were both laughing and appeared not to notice her additional presence within the room. So she just turned and listened to their conversation, it might be a little more entertaining than the pages in front of her.

"I'm telling you Ben they still can't get the damn thing to work right, and it's been what almost two years now. Gordon and his crew are getting hell over it. I think if they ever see that kid they'll kill him on site."

The bald one of the two looked a little uncomfortable with the topic of choice.

"Yea, we'll it wasn't funny when it happened I wanted to kill the kid. Gordon and his goons that call themselves mechanics were after my blood if you recall correctly. Then they wanted me to pay for the damn thing. Does it look like I have millions to spare to you?"

The man across just grinned back unrepentant.

"Are they still hounding you for that?"

He grumbled something in return.

"Well, you were the one to say he could handle more responsibility and gave him the individual privileges." He said, before putting his hands up in surrender still grinning

" not that I'm saying it's on you or anything, you weren't even here when the kid did it, and his track record before you left was actually pretty good. We'll actually damn good, the kid was a top pick for the space station mission. He might be a fool on the ground but he's a damn good pilot in the air."

"Whatever, don't start giving him compliments it makes me feel homicidal?"

The older man threw his head back in laughter. His companion grinned at him before asking,

"Training anyone good?"

" man these kids all have talent, but there all the same. Everyone a cocky hothead. I mean, you have to be to make it in space, but even these kids can get boring."

A grunt of agreement was the only reply he got.

"Although last year we got an interesting recruit. I mean I never met her myself, Stienbal was doing the training, but did she cause a stir down in Houston."

"Her? What happened I don't think I've heard anything."

"Well you know Von Doom bought a huge part of NASA, and started up the agreement between us and his company since he bought his own mega station up there. Yea, well the man didn't think we were playing nice enough and thought that he should show the higher ups here that he could do whatever the hell he wanted. So he sent a civilian down to Houston for a month of training to go in space."

His companion whistled softly, Charlie couldn't decide if she wanted to grin in pride or grimace in remembrance.

"What happened? Did anyone of get hurt because of it?"

"What?... No, no nothing like that, you know they would never allow that. Actually she would have made a damn impressive astronaut if she had wanted to. She was in better shape than our guys when she got here, and she picked up things fast. She apparently didn't want anywhere near the pilots seat which is a shame. It would have been fun to see a civilian try to pilot one of the flying bricks."

"I've definitely missed some things since being gone." He smiled to his companion.

"So I guess Johnny's old news buy now." The bald man said. Then sighed as he got serious. It had been kind of odd to hear her experiences told by a stranger to a stranger, but then again it wasn't the first time.

"So you don't think me being here will hurt Reed?"  
That caught her attention. So this man came with the Dr. Richards.

His companion hesitated and Charlie knew he knew that Richards wasn't getting anything from NASA today. He was clearly trying to decide what to tell his friend.

"Whatever happens today, your prescience here will not hamper Richards in anyway. You were a good pilot and people remember that, more so even that that idiot kid you were training under you. So don't worry about it. Whatever happens today will happen."

That brought the two to a silence as they both contemplated what had been said.

Their thoughts were broken as both doors into the room opened and people started pouring in. The two men shook hands before parting one exiting out the doors the other to the front of the room. Last to enter the room was Dr. Richards who took his place at the front next to his muscly companion.

Charlie had in the meantime returned her seat back to the table and waited patiently in her spot for the presentation to begin. She was interested in what Richards had to say. It might expand some of Victor's plan to her. She leaned back in her chair as the lights dimmed and the presentation began.

/•••••••••••••••••••

"As you can see the know leg that will be gained from the expedition will become vital to exponential progress on medicine using and understanding our genetic makeup. If you allow my experiments to proceed we could save millions in years instead of decades. I know there are risks involved, but how else is progress made. Ultimately the decision lies with you." He paused and surveyed the people in the room before him. "But I believe together we can do this... Thank you for hearing me today."

With that Dr. Richards packed up his presentation and left the room along with his associate Charlie now knew as Mr. Ben Grimm's.

She had to say, while quite ambitious Richards's theory and otherwise plan was completely intriguing. She even agreed that if he could gain only even half of what he believed he could the risk would all be worth it. Down syndrome all types of birth defects could be cured. Blindness a thing of the past. It was an attractive and astounding concept. She almost felt sorry that NASA was going to reject the man's plan. And from the looks on the faces of the people around her she wasn't the only one.

Scientist by nature loved the thrill of discovery and creating. What Dr. Richards was proposing called to all those in the room. The pure genuine way Reed Richard talked seemed to awake again those feelings that first made these men and women answer the call to become servants to learning. Only greed and blind ambition stood in their way.

All the scientist and engineers kept throwing glances her way. She realized, although they didn't necessarily see Victor as the bad guy, they did see her as the reason they couldn't help or work with this man. To them she was everything they couldn't stand personified and placed before them. She shrugged her shoulders and stood up. It wouldn't be the first time.

She cast one last methodical glance around the room. One last reminder that these men had no choice in the decision, it was made. With that she strode out of the room knowing that they wouldn't back out of the deal now. Her job here was done.

As she walked along the corridors headed to the front she passed the two campaigners, the Dr. and the Astronaut, their heads put together whispering.

She doubted they knew what was going to hit them. Grim might have an inkling, but Von doom had them backed into a corner, and he was going to take them for all they were worth. It wouldn't be the first time. Sometimes she still regretted waking up that day over two years ago that had landed her in the alley. It wasn't often. She owed the man everything, but a small moment here and there reminded her of the type of person she gave her loyalty to. 


	3. Chapter 3

Charlie sat at the desk in her office, flicking through information on the computer screen. She had a bad feeling about her boss's latest scheme. He was too over confident in his plan for retribution and it was blinding his normally logic centered mind. He was placing too much of the company on the line for it. If things didn't go as plan which was a high possibility enormity of what they were trying to accomplish. Then the company would go bust, this was an enormous wager. If they lost the gamble victor would lose everything, and so would she.

She had made a promise to Victor, back when he had hired her: a seemingly nobody, that she would have his back and his trust. He had given her something to really live for again and she wouldn't soon forget it.

That's why this deal was making her so wary. It was too much she needed to do something, a backup plan in case things went south up in space, or for if the good doctor didn't come through; contingency's. She needed to prepare the contingency plans to save Victor if this didn't go right. She promised to have his back, and she never went back on her promises. It help contingency planes were something she was very good at making.

Her booted feet were propped up on the table before her and she was scanning the tablet in her hand, going over the security work up for the upcoming trip to the space station. Beside her Susan kept fidgeting in her seat glancing up at the clock on the wall. Charlie knew she was nervous, wondering what was happening behind the closed doors of Victor's office. Dr. Richards and his associate Ben Grimm had entered the office a few minutes ago to give their presentation on the experiments they were hoping to do in space and trying to get Von Doom industries to fund them. She wondered if they had been surprised to find only Victor there to listen to them talk and not the whole board.

"Susan, are you nervous about him accepting or denying Richards proposal?" she asked the other woman hoping. Partially out of curiosity and partly to lower the woman nervous energy that was pouring off of her in ways.

"What… Oh well... I suppose I'm not sure. I'm mean Ree-, Dr. Richards that is, is a brilliant geneticist and his theories and therefore discoveries could bring huge changes to the medical sciences and the world if he can get Victor to work with him." She shot a glance over at Charlie who was watching her over the tablet in her hand, and shrugged.

"I just don't think Von Doom Industry's and Dr. Richards are… well, are a good fit." She shrugged again as if helpless to find another way to express what she was trying to say. She shook her head and attempted to focus her thoughts back at the folder in her hands.

"But VDI is a company based on making scientific theory into existence and fact. The fact that they do it well enough to make a profit for themselves which is the only reason to allow them to continue doing so. IS it because you think the company is greedy Miss Storm and Reed Richard is not?"

Her blue eyes went wide, and Charlie didn't know if it was her words or the fact that she had spoken that gave the other woman surprise. Either way she found it humorous as Susan tried to collect herself for a response.

Charlie would admit to knowing why it seemed Richards and Victor were so caught up with this woman. She was beautiful, long blonde hair and pale skin, it helped that she was a brilliant scientist and could hold an intelligent conversation with whomever she pleased. And she was kind, her eyes spoke of it and Charlie had watched the way she handled people. Susan Storm cared about others and she went out of her way to help anyone who needed it even if she didn't even know their name. It was a rare quality to find in people nowadays.

She gave a smile to the scientist before glancing down at her tablet.

"Well I wouldn't worry too much about it, since there is nothing you can do. It's up to Mr. Von Doom now and I think he has just about made his decision."

The gaze Susan Storm had on her was vaguely uncomfortable like the woman had just realized that there was someone standing next to them and they weren't quite sure what to make of that fact.

"I think it's time for you to head in now Miss Storm, they seem to be wrapping up."

She stare a moment longer before turning and entering into the aforementioned room.

As Susan Storm walked away, Charlie went back to her planning. She didn't envy the woman. Weeks being stuck between Victor and Richards. Nope didn't sound fun at all. At least she herself wouldn't have to be around any of the drama when they went to space. She was looking forward to couple of days off. Maybe might even go to Coney Island or something, she never really had gotten around to seeing the city she lived in.

...

"You want me to what?"

Charlie was lounging on the black leather couch in Victor's office. Well she had been before he had announced that he wanted her to accompany him up to the station. Some bull crap about somebody making sure the nerds didn't get out of line.

"You can't be serious Victor, they're a bunch of scientist not rabid monkeys. What could you possibly need me for up there? This isn't about the statue thing you already got me back for that one, and I haven't pulled any pranks since you sent me on that while goose chase to Tri-lanka looking for that crappy piece of art you call priceless… That damn warlord almost killed me for that! Remember, I learned my lesson about the thrice damned socks!"

She still couldn't believe he had done that to her, it was a harmless prank really. But with how vain he was she should have realized he would take her switching all his socks out for pink ones would have cost her. It was still funny remembering his face when he had come in holding a pair. Unfortunately she was the only suspect and he knew immediately who had done it. Nobody else would ever have dared even looking at the man wrong let alone prank him. Too afraid to lose their job, or maybe it was their life.

She wasn't sure, but they had a weird relationship. Boss and employee forefront but she had privileges no one else had. She was in and out of his home all the time, she went where he went. She saw everything he did. She knew him, and he knew her. They were probably the closest the other had to a friend and maybe even family. All she had left in this world was Victor, and she knew besides Susan she was the only one to see him as human, not some mega monster that ruled over people's lives.

But still this was low, even for him.

"That crap as you call it was a lost Picasso, a genius piece of art. Plus it wasn't priceless it actually has a rather hefty price tag on it."

He replied. He was looking smug, and comfortable. Something that never boded well for her.

"Yes, yes. The small French bird painting, I know. It doesn't even have a bird in the painting if you noticed." She argued back.

He sighed as he glanced over at her, clearly deciding that she was a lost cause. He began organizing his desk in front of him in preparation for retiring for the night.

"You're actually perfectly qualified to be on the space station if you didn't forget your little stint in Houston. Besides I want to take you to the stars is there any better reason than that. Most people would give their right arms to even be considered to go."

"Yes, well I'm not most people. I've seen Star Trek, there are all sorts of things that can happen up there and I would be completely powerless to do anything. Besides I've seen those swanky jumpsuits you are calling a uniform and I wouldn't be caught dead wearing one. It's worse than a scuba diving suit! At least those are black."

"I'll have all the arrangements for your funeral done, just in case you don't make it back if it makes you feel any better." He said as he place his tablet in the drawer and closed it.

She knew she had lost the fight the minute it started, but she was known to be stubborn and she'd be damned it if she didn't try to wiggle out of this completely horrifying situation

"I hear their now putting TV's in the coffins. It might not be so bad."

"I'll bury you in the suit if I don't see you on that shuttle." He spoke as he walked out the door leaving her in the room by herself.

She hated him sometimes. She hopped to her feet and caught up to him as he entered the elevator. He shot a smirk at her. She in turn refused to look at him, pretending she wasn't pouting. Too bad he knew her well enough to know she was.

He laughed. "I'll buy you dinner."

"You always buy dinner."

"He's a security risk. I've seen his file at NASA and while I think his skills as a pilot are impressive I don't know if that's enough to warrant his presence on the team." I state to Victor who is seated across from me in one of his many cars. We are on our way back to the office after a meeting with the bank to fun this little operation.

He uncrosses his legs but doesn't look up from the files he's pouring over as he answers.

"Susan has vouched for him, and what kind of fiancée would I make if I didn't trust my intended. Leaves a sour taste in the mouth. You'll have to make it work. I need him on the roster. Go threaten or seduce him or something." He waved his hand flippantly in here directions as she sent him a glare over the smiling picture of one Jonathan Storm.

"I want a raise if I manage to make him behave. A big one and a week off."

Honestly she dealt with Victor for a living she didn't think handling the playboy would be that difficult, but it wasn't in her contract so she would make sure he knew she didn't have to do it.

That made him look up. He sent her a frown, then rolled his eyes for good measure before saying,

"Fine, but only 5 days, and you have to keep your phone with you… and on."

That she could do.

"Deal."

She smirked, he glowered.

...

Charlie had been down at the airport for thirty minutes just watching Johnny Storm from the cockpit of Victor's private jet. They had set up a course for the all of the team going to space. They had used the air field that Von Doom owned outside of the city, since it had the largest space available.

She watched as Storm breezed through the physical aspects of the course. He went through it like he had never stopped training. If he had been more serious and trustworthy person she might have offered him a spot on her security. The Von Doom security was one of the best in the world. All handpicked by her and the best that Victor's money could buy.

Unfortunately Storm was an adrenaline junkie, he got off on life and death situations. They made him feel alive, that's what made him such a good pilot. He was one to easily bore. Was highly intelligent, but wasn't often credited with it. He saw things others didn't and he hid behind a mask. Over all defiantly not the worst person she had ever had to work with, and maybe with a little pushes in the right directions she could make him one of the best assets she could ask for on this little trip. He was already a VDI employee had been since he got kicked out of NASA. Maybe working with the kid wouldn't be so bad.

The next time she saw Johnny Storm  
was in Florida as he was running through a flight simulator completing some final prep work before the launch in a few days. She knew he had been here for a week, while the rest of the team was assembling tomorrow for a forty-eight hour refresher course on being in space. The mission wasn't going to be a long one and flying the shuttle would be the most difficult part. The rest just did what they normally do.

As she watched Storms flight simulation she was again impressed with his skill and ability to insult people and make jokes at the same time. She wondered how many people underestimated him. She doubted it was a small number. She wanted to see what he could do.

"Why don't we make things a little more interesting, how about we throw in a freak storm gentlemen? Maybe a class 3 hurricane?" She asked the two men controlling the simulation that Storm was in. The looks she received were incredulous. That was fine, she was the one in control.

"You think that will be a problem. The weather all this week is good." One of the men stated back to her.

The smile she gave them reminded some of frozen honey.

"Why don't we try it anyways boys."

They jumped to calculate a storm into the shuttle's projector.

"That's a bit weak still, let's make Mr. Storm sweat a little."  
She watched with amusement as they set in a hurricane to hit the shuttle.

A string of swear words flew over the com system, and Charlie had to smother a grin. It seemed the pilot didn't appreciate the little addition she had added.

She and the two techs watched as he scraped by in a landing in the middle of a hurricane with the shuttle mostly intact. The two techs looked highly impressed, and she grinned as said pilot distant led himself from his seat making a bee line to the controls.

She took it as her queue to leave. She slid out the door right before the man stormed (pun intended) into the room. She could hear the shouting from down the hall as she made her way to the stairs. A Cheshire grin playing on her face.

She made it to the top of the building and strode out onto the roof. She had allocated a chair from one of the offices and had set up an area of to the side looking over the side of the building. As she sat down she pulled out her tablet and propped up her feet as she waited.

It wasn't long before she hear the door leading to the roof crashed open behind her. Apparently running up multiple set of stairs didn't impede his anger one bit.

"Now, I know I got a bad track record, and for the life of me I can't put a face to the name. But for whatever it is that you think I did. It was most likely unintentional. So making me look a fool back there served no point."

He ended his tirade standing winded in front of her chair. He was scrutinizing her face, apparently attempting to figure out if she indeed was one of his scorned conquest. "No one got hurt, and as I saw it you managed to land the shuttle just fine. No harm done. Right."

She shot grinned at his flushed face. Normally looked flushed made a person look weak and silly, having a lack of control over their emotions was unattractive. Yet somehow he managed to pull it off while still maintaining an air of attractiveness. Which was interesting, completely irrelevant but interesting.

He crossed his arms over his broad chested.

"You work for Von Doom right? And we haven't slept together then? Have we slept together? What's the deal?"

He had his jaw locked and was shifting his weight from foot to foot. It surprised her how agitated he was. She had read in his file that he was a notorious prankster, always up to tomfoolery. She would have thought he would have taken the test better. But he was genuinely angry. Time to mend the bridge before it burned. She found it heartening, his anger, it meant that he care about this. This mission, whatever he pretended to say his angers spoke volumes of his nerves. She placed her tablet away.

"Look Mr. Storm that was not an attempt to extract revenge, or make you look like a fool. I've read your file and flight record. It's, I have to say quite impressive for someone who's never actually been to outer space. Now, I saw how easily you were handling that Machine. You could have done that in your sleep. And while these idiots all think that nothing is actually going to go wrong. Things have gone south on me to many times for me not to be prepared for the possibility. It was a test. You did well, Mr. Storm."

He blinked and it seemed to take him a little to understand what had just happened. He had been preparing himself for a fight, so when he didn't get one it threw him off.

"But a hurricane? You really expect a hurricane to come hurtling at us? Never mind that they would never send us to land if there was a hurricane down here."

She laughed. His normal humor seemed to be reappearing.

"Maybe a hurricane was a bit extreme, but at least it was entertaining. You missed the techs faces when you actually managed to land the damn thing."

He grinned at her, and she watched his poster completely relax losing all the anger and tension from his body. Johnny Storm wouldn't be so bad, you just had to know how to handle him.

"Want to get a drink then, now that I know you are probably the only person within fifty miles that has a sense of humor. It's an important quality to have."

"Can't, Casanova. Working." She held up the tablet and stood."

"What? You're going to leave me with all the stiffs!" he attempting to look offended.

She laughed again.

"Stiffs are dead people, not stuffy scientist that speak another language."

He shrugged looking unperturbed as his reference was corrected.

"Look why don't you come with me. I'm checking all the security for this place and then have a teleconference with a couple of out branches." She turned to look at him as he followed behind her to the stairs.

"I promise it won't be boring."

"Promise."

"Promise."

Johnny hadn't honestly though that she would be able to keep her promise, most people never did. And security work just sounded boring, but it had been better than the alternative and she was hot.

He still wasn't sure who she was. He got that she had a lot of power in the company, and he wasn't sure if she wasn't Vic's assistant of evil, which is what he had heard from the two guys running the simulator. Anyway he looked at it, he knew he was playing with fire and it was bound to end badly. But he and always been the moth attracted to the flame. There was no way he was staying away from anything that led to trouble. He could already hear him blood humming.

"Have you ever fire a gun Mr. Storm?" the question broke him from his reverie and he glanced to the woman on his left frowning.

"Johnny, no Mr. Storm crap. It makes me feel ancient! or like a super boring person." Which he was neither of those things?

She rolled her eyes.

"Alright, John. The question still stands? Have you ever used a firearm?"

He crunched his nose in distaste of the name.

"What are you some kind of robot? Nobody talks like that, and it's Johnny, not John. John is way" he purposefully dragged out the 'a' sound, "to stuffy, and do I look stuffy to you?" he didn't give her an opportunity to answer.

"No, I do not. I look like a perfectly fine specimen of the human species. You should treat me like one." He wiggled his eyebrows,

"If you know what I mean." He closed the space between them on the elevator. A cocky grin spreading over his face and he looked down on the woman.

She looked back, her eyebrows lifting elegantly one side of her mouth twisting in amusement.

"Is that so, Mr. Storm?"

"His grin slipped from his lips.

"What, no. stop with the Mister thing already. It's very unattractive, and kind of a turn off."

A grin twisted her lips as he backed out of her personal space, and she stepped around him exiting the open elevator doors. He hadn't even realized they had stopped.

"Good, to know Mr. Storm."

He scowled at her retreating back. Before realizing that it was a rather attractive view. Before scowling again as the elevator doors closed on him.

Damn malfunctioning machine.

"Where are we going?" He asked as he caught up to her after he had escaped the terrors of the elevator.

"Keep up, John I already told you twice. We going to the firing range."

"I didn't think there was one here."

"There wasn't, until this morning." She shot him a grin over her shoulder.

He swallowed suddenly. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea.

As they entered into the makeshift firing range, Charlie scanned then men present looking for her second in command, he was lounging on a chair with his feet propped up in front of him scowling down at the paperwork he was reading.

She made a beeline over to him, but not before grabbing one of the guys and telling them to kept Storm occupied as she talked with Collins.

"Leonard." She hailed as she took the seat opposite the man, pushing his legs off the chair in the process.

He grunted in her direction and sent her the stink eye. She grinned in return. The man was always in a bad mood. She had never actually seen him in a good one so his behavior didn't bother her good mood in the least.

"As of oh-eight-hundred tonight you're in charge of everything but the CEO's personal welfare. I expect everything to be ran smoothly and nothing too disastrous to have happened when I get back. You leave tonight for our office in Singapore, I want the situation down there fixed, and you have 48 hours. Got it. Also that kid we picked up, the sniper, I want him. So don't let Cael get within a hundred feet of him. If we need to lessen his training time, so be it. He's already damn good anyways. Everything else I leave to your discretion, and judgment. Try not to break anything while I'm gone."

She would miss her job while she was gone. Discussing the duty's made her realize it. She loved her job, even the dirtier and more dangerous stuff, and what paperwork and scheduling she ended up doing usually allowed her to heal from whatever injury she had received.

With those thoughts flowing through her head she knew without a doubt that if anyone could get the company in better shape that it was, it would be Leonard. Her Second could have had her job if he had ever put his mind to it, but he had never wanted it.

"Why couldn't you go on vacation a different week? Maybe one where the Koreans aren't pounding at our gates or the Russian's sneaking into the facilities. Or better yet how about when the moron in Washington aren't trying to claim our security force is too powerful and a threat to national security."

She laughed.

"Well they day any of that stops let me know. It probably means that world war III has started, that or the apocalypse. If we're lucky there might even be zombie to shoot at."

The gleam in his eyes had her fighting back a smile, knowing that he didn't find that possibility remotely funny. He had a thing about zombies.

"Look it's no big deal, Washington is all talked, no walk. A week is no time for them to gain any leverage so relax. Koreans won't be a problems their hearts aren't into it. The people like us there, and the government is only putting on a show, nothing will come of it. As for the Russians, Collins you've dealt with them before. Avoid big words and shoot first."

With the way he was acting most would have thought, he didn't want the job, and he didn't. Not permanently anyways. Too much politics, he claimed. He was a soldier, he liked the action and hated the paperwork, and a lot of her job was paperwork and dealing with Morons. It wouldn't be the man's first time taking over her job, so he knew what to do, he just enjoyed complaining about it. Something she had grown use to over the years.

Taking her tablet she wiped he fingers across the screen sending him the preliminary plans she had made for security for the events that where scheduled to take place over the next week.

"You know all this work, almost makes regret asking for vacation time."

He grinned over at her.

"Well, it's your first time off in three years where you're not bed ridden with holes in you. You might just enjoy the experience."

"I might like it so much, I decide to make it permanent and leave you stuck with all the paperwork."

He laughed, throwing his head back in the air.

"You wouldn't dare, kid. You care too much about this damn job, you've put too much blood sweat and time into it to just walk away."

She made an uncommitted noise in response. He was right, she knew. She would never leave the company as long as Victor kept her around. And she doubted that he was going to be throwing her away anytime soon. She was too good at her job, for that to happen. Her heart warmed at the thought. Victor and her relationship was unusual, their personalities worked so well together for being so different. They knew more about the other than any living creature on the planet. That made her job easy, and her loyalty unquestionable.

"What's with Blondie over there?" Leonard asked gesturing to Johnny was standing on the firing line with Trevor hovering over his shoulder correcting his grip on the nine millimeter semi-automatic pistol in his hand. Giving him pointers on how to get his shot where he wanted it to go. He seemed to be catching on pretty quick, actually. She could see tiny holes littering the target down at the end of the range.

"Something I promised Victor. Keeping the kid out of trouble."

"So you hand him a gun." Humor laced his tone. And she shrugged in response.

"He just needs to be kept occupied, it's only when he's bored that trouble starts. Besides, I think we could use him if it came to it. He's a natural, in good shape, sharp as a tack. It could work."

"You know he was in the Air Force right?"

"Don't give me that crap." But she couldn't stop the smile that tugged on her lips. She was proud of the teams she had put together. And she was proud of how well everyone worked together. She had taken people that she saw potential in, and while a lot of the guys were ex-military, like Collins, not all of them were. If they needed training they got the best, and every one of them was loyal. She had turned a group of ragtag lonely individuals onto a makeshift family. They watched each others back and they got things done. That's why they were the best, and she was damn proud of it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

This was the part she was nervous about. The training wasn't that bad, even the stupid blue suits weren't as bad as she made them out to be, but sitting on she shuttle about to take off into open space where a million things could go wrong was not something she had ever prepare herself to face.

Charlie stood inside the empty shuttle, she had already changed into her suit and the flight jumper, a much better suit then the skin tight monstrosity Victor had cooked up. She glanced up as someone entered into the shuttle. She wasn't surprised when it turned out to be the pilot of said shuttle, Johnny Storm.

Looking cool as a cucumber, she didn't know how he was so relaxed, like he wasn't about to fly a giant metal can into space. Where the smallest crack could make the whole thing cave in upon itself killing them all. She took a deep breath slowing her heart rate down. Trying to calm down her nerves.

"I didn't take you as the jittery type." Storm said as he came to stand next to her.

"Normally I would agree with you, but I don't like the idea of going into space. This isn't my job, there's nothing, no point in me going. I'll be worse than useless, and if something goes wrong I'm a sitting duck. Another body in the way"

"Then if you don't want to go then why are you going." 

"Mr. Von Doom requested my presence aboard the station."

"Then tell him no. I mean it's not like he'll fire you half of what I heard about you is true." His eyes were open slightly more than normal and he was leaning in. He was concerned, she realized.

He was trying to reassure her. Johnny Storm, infamous selfish trouble making playboys was trying to comfort her. She would have laughed if she didn't think it would offend him.

"I'm fine Johnny, well I'll be fine." She turned and looked up at him grinning.

"So, what have you heard about me that impresses you."

He laughed and she was again reminded his looks, he definitely had a smile that went right to the knees. Fortunately she had some pretty resilient knee, good cartilage.

She had seen too many rotten people who were beautiful and charming. But she knew Johnny Storm wasn't one of them, he used his charm and good looks as a shield for his insecurities. Over the last couple of days she had seen glimpses` of the real Johnny. Once when he got into a fight with his sister. It was after the fight the look of utter defeat on his face as she walked away spoke volumes.

He had a blazing, beating beautiful heart that he hid from the world. Trying to avoid getting hurt, but he cared about people and he was a good man.

He was also a lot of fun to be around, she couldn't remember the last time that  
she had laughed so much. A good hearty, deep laugh that traveled.

"Oh, I dunno maybe something about the evil mistress of Doom, or there's always the ice woman, a classic for scary beautiful women, but I have to say, my personal favorite is the siren of the shadows. I mean that's just super sexy right?"

"You're kidding right, siren of the shadows? That's completely degenerate... Although it does present an appealing imagery, if you a dominatrix."

Her nose crinkled and she shook her head with distaste.

"We'll, I think it make sense a beautiful woman who lures poor men to the dark corners of the world with her devastating good looks then feasts on them."

"Feasts on them?" She said laughing. "I think you've put too much thought into it."

He grinned down at her, and she realized for the first time how close the two of them were; nearly toe to toe, and here he was parading in the stupid suit, which she would admit, only to herself, he was giving her a much more appealing feelings on the damn thing.

"We'll, as fantastical as their most creative name calling is. The general idea behind my nature is not far off. I'm not nice, I see the bad in people and the potential problems they cause. My job boiled down, is to kill people and I have killed people and most the time I don't regret it."

She hadn't meant to say so much. She was slightly embarrassed and was surprised that she had reveled any thoughts to the man behind her. But she wanted boundaries between the two. She knew his rep and if she was going to add him to her accumulated force there had to be clear lines. For both of them.

The hand laying softly on her shoulder startled her, nobody but Victor touched her nowadays and with Victor it wasn't often. A warmth gathered and swept through her body as she reestablished eye contact with him.

Surprisingly he didn't say anything just smiled at her.

There was a drawback of people being scared of her and the position of power she held in the company: the loneliness and paranoia that accompanied her. People kept their distance and she kept hers. She thought she had been used to it. It was then she realized that she was leaning into Johnny's hand.

Slowly she straightened and pulled herself slightly away.

"When do we takeoff."

Like she didn't have a countdown going on in her head. The schedule for today was and all weekend had been memorized as soon as she had seen it.

"Fifteen minutes, everyone should be headed here soon."

His voice wasn't as loud as it normally was. If she didn't know any better she would have said subdue.

"I think you came here for a reason Johnny." She gently reminded.

He gave her a sheepish grin as he stepped around her and seated himself in the pilot's chair and began a run-through of the takeoff and docking sequences.

Charlie made her way back over to the seats in the back and took a seat closer to the wall. She had been trying for weeks to shake this gut feeling about the mission into space, trying to deny it as nerves. Unfortunately she knew better as her instincts had saved her neck in many situations, so it might be a good time to stop denying that something bad was going to happen up in space. Dying she was fine with, she faced the possibility every day for too many years for it to have a great effect on her countenance now.

No, she feared living. Living and being helpless as life took its course around you, being able to do nothing for the people you care about. It would be worse than death, and she dearly hoped that whatever happened up in space killed her. If something happened, that was an outcome she was prepared to live with. Rather than watching in anguish as everyone's life tumbled and turned, never to be the same after.


	5. Chapter 5

A.N

Hey guys just wanted to let you know I did some light editing on the previous chapters. I didn't like Charlie's reactions in it and I wanted to focus a little more on her and Victor's relationship. If there's anything you would like to see out of this story drop me a line. I'm not really sure where this is going. Also we have a couple of chapters till she discovers her power (if she has one!) so any ideas on what they should be then let me know. Thanks everyone for reading and those who have review. I don't know if I would have continued this story if it wasn't for your reviews!

**Chapter 5**

They docked smoothly up at the station and everyone seemed to relax. Johnny already cracking jokes at poor Ben Grimm's expense. Victor had Susan's hand gripped in one hand and they were sharing a grin of triumph and adulation. She knew the two of them had been working hard to making this mission work. Both had different motives which was true but at the moment it didn't matter because they were both here.

Victor escorted her off the shuttle and gave her a quick tour of the station with emphasis on anything he thought she might find useful like the medical bay, safe room and the main computer unit.

"You and Richards looked like you were having quite the talk on the shuttle. Anything interesting?"

She waved a dismissive wave to him as she examined the protections around the room.

"Nothing you haven't heard a dozen times."

"Is that so? Hmm, that's too bad I was kind of hoping you would punch him in the face. Much more entertaining."

She rolled her eyes, even though she knew he couldn't see. For a genius he sure did act like a high-schooler sometimes.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to damage any assets to your company. Isn't Richards' part of the company now?"

"Huh, no. At least not in this instance. I would hope my company hasn't sunken so far down."

He laughed. Charlie stared; she couldn't ever remember seeing him this happy before. Completely and utterly delighted that everything was coming together. He was getting more out of his domination and control of Reed Richards then he was over the success of his company, his dreams.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Charlie shook her head and sent him a smile.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so happy before. Not even when you started dating Susan."

His response was a careless shrug.

"Well maybe I have everything I've wanted right at this moment. My business has never flourished more than it is now. The man that I despised the most is under my thumb and begging me for handouts while I date the woman he's utterly in love with. That's justice, what's not to be happy about."

"Actually speaking of Susan, could you run interference with the rest of the crew when it comes time. As much as I would love to see Richards face as she accepted, I would rather not have a crowd of geeks in attendance."

He was adjusting the cuffs on the suit he had changed into, looking out at the most spectacular view of the stars Charlie had ever seen in her life.

"I can do that. Anything else you require of me?"

He grinned over at her then reached and pitched the collar of her suit at the base of her throat.

"I haven't heard you complain once. Something change your mind about the suits." He teased her. He was radiant in his joy.

"Dark grey is my color what can I say." She gave an over exaggerated shrug a small smile playing on her lips.

She enjoyed times like this. Quipping back and forth with Victor is her favorite part of the day her it help solidify why she was here, why she busted her ass every day for a job that had given her numerous new scared on her body. Her friendship and adoration for this man in front of her made every pain worth it.

He smiled at her than gave a shooing motion with his hands.

"Get out of here, go do something useful for me."

She turned and walked out of the secure room with the breathtaking view. As she passed out of the doorway she passed Susan Storm.

Now all she had to do for the next couple of hours was stay out of everybody's way until the show started and the mission actually began. That she could do, and with a plan in her mind she set off in a new direction down the corridor.

...

Charlie reappeared a couple hours later after getting a more intimate and thorough walk-through of the station. It had a calming effect on her and had let her gain her equilibrium in this new environment. She could help but be drawn to the beauty that surrounded her it was awe inspiring and she had taken moments here and there on her inspection to just take it all in.

That had been the calm before the storm and it was now time to report and watch the beginning of the mission. Space was dangerous, beautiful but dangerous. Everyone knew that, all had been taught that from a young age. Danger set her nerves alight and had waves of energy pouring through her body in preparation for a fight of survival. It was a dance she had done many times and one she had become very comfortable with.

Yet this was not a danger she could fight. There was no situation up here, where the guys went out in their suits, where she could help. She would have to stand and watch if anything happened. That thought alone had her adrenals spiked and her stomach knotted. She was going to have an ulcer when she got back down to the planet. If she managed to get back down.

She hadn't noticed Johnny wade towards where she had stationed herself in the room where everyone was preparing to go set the plant samples for the test.

"What's with the frowny face?! We're in space!" He flung his arms around him as best as dramatically as he could. He was vibrating with burning energy.

"This is awesome! You can't all stoned faced up here. What an utter Drag!" His blonde head tilted and peered at her his eyes bouncing over her face.

His hand came up. He poked her. His voice was quieter when he spoke next but still no less exuberant.

"Hey, you look more Stoney then normal… if that's possible. Just relax enjoy it. Everything will be fine."

He dragged out the last word over several seconds. She fought to not roll her eyes, and then decided to let a little of her feelings leek through, to calm him down and get his attention off her.

His face light up as he watched the action roll though her face. He did a fist pump.

"Man I just knew you were human! Whoa!"

"Johnny come here and help me get Ben in his suit." Reed called from the other side of the rooms. Sending her an apologetic smile behind Johnny's back. She waved it off with a small motion of her fingers.

"You know I didn't notice earlier, but your suit is different! Why did you get a different color suit?! Man that's not fair I want a grey one! Not that it doesn't look great on you, and man does it ever!" He paused in his exclamation to give her a very thorough once over.

She rolled her eyes and shoved him with her shoulder before turning him bodily and pushing him over to him team mates.

"Why don't you do something useful, and give us fully functioning adults a break from your blather, please."

She could almost hear the pout that form across his face at her words. But there was also a smile in his words when he spoke.

"I'm all grown up I can show you later if you want proof."

"I don't know if I could stand the horror of you losing all your clothes, kid. I'm sure there's a law against that right? Trust me I'm not into little boys."

He stopped moving forward and turned around with a wicket smile on his face.

"Then what are you into, Love? I'm sure I could find a way to satisfy that craving." His voice was smothered in genuine desire.

"Johnny leave her alone, and come help!"

He shrugged and grinned at her once more before spinning and quickly working the snaps and straps on Ben's suit.

She withdrew herself back into the room and out of the way of the scientist and engineers.

It wasn't long before Ben was secured in his suit, Ready to go. Charlie watched as the two men assembled at the outer hatch. Johnny heckling Ben the whole time. They waited for the pressurization process to be complete before Ben moved out into the surround space around the station to set the sample in the best possible place for the incoming storm.

She moved forward to get a better view of the astronaut while Reed moved back to a computer station in the back of the room.

"You really respect him don't you?" She asked Johnny as she stopped next to him to stare out past the glass.

"Who? Ben? What ever gave you that idea?" he looked genuinely perplexed by her statement.

"The way you tease him you go so far out of your way to pour that attention on him. You know it doesn't bother him."

"You've put to much though into it. I just get an urge whenever I see his face and it totally helps that he hates it, have you seen his reactions their awesome."

Suddenly reed was yelling from behind them.

"Ben you need to get inside NOW!"

The two turned to look at the panicked Scientist as he came running at the two of them. Charlie's heart plummeted; something was very wrong. Reed told Ben to turn around and she and Johnny did the same.

Horror filled her and her chest frozen in terror. Behind the astronaut where her and Johnny had just been staring was a bundle of bright lights headed straight towards the station. The station started shaking around them as the leading edge of the storm started contacting the metal around them.

"Johnny was screaming into his headset and practically beating the glass in an emotional effort to get the stranded astronaut back into the station. Some detached part of her brain noted the fury of his worry for the man he just moments ago denied any fondness for.

She didn't know what to do.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Panic erupted in her mind and adrenalin flooded her system. She was frozen, stopped in time watching as the horror in front of her speed at an incredible rate to the doom of everyone on the station. As Richards brushed passed her screaming for Grimes, it ripped her out of her shock and she spun and took off in a sprint.

She needed to find Victor.

She wanted to curse the man and his arrogance, he had killed them all by allowing them to come up here for a simple, or not so simple revenge plan. Her feet were heavy and she sprinted down the corridor. Was it useless to run, she didn't stand a chance and she now had deep doubts about the safety of their "safe room". It was nature and she was coming to bite them all in the ass and laugh as she did so. She wanted to stop and let the panic overtake her and ride the storm out where she was, there was no point in going on. She knew this, and yet still she ran, pushing her muscles to the limit. If she died, she was damn well going to try at least to fight for something. And getting back to victor seemed like the most solid plan she had.

She saw Suzie rush around the corner ahead and past headed in the opposite direction. Charlie didn't blink, her priority was the boss and friend that waited just beyond in the control room. Everything else was out of her hands. Ahead she saw the metal bay doors closing to the safe room sealing it.

She continued to run as she had. There was no extra speed to put on nor any more energy to burn, she was already giving her all. At the last second she did hurtled herself through the tightening gap and slid inside the past the doors. She didn't stop sliding until her torso meet the steel bars that mad the handrails to the balcony. As the breath left her body from the impact she gave herself a moments reprieve before she forced air to enter into her lungs and spun around looking for Victor.

He was there staring back at her as she panted, trying to get oxygen back to her muscles. He didn't say anything, and neither did she. But she could see a thousand different emotions swimming through his dark eyes. He didn't think they were going to make it out of this one either. He knew that there had been a horrible miscalculation.

She pushed herself up before sliding of the balcony and into the inverted doom down in the middle of the room. She walked over to him and he held out his hand to her and a small sad, guilty smile as she reached him. She took it and squeezed. She had always been prepared to die for this man. Maybe it would be so bad to die with him.

The thought had barley passed through her brain when the storm fully hit and chaos erupted around them.

...

The first thing that came to her as awareness slowly seeped into her brain was how cold she was. She hated being cold it was something she often had to deal with, but hated never the less. She didn't make a sound as her senses slowly returned to her. She concentrated on keeping her breathing the same and heart rate down. She could immediately tell something was wrong. She was unknowledgeable to her surroundings and she couldn't quite remember how she came to be in a state of unconsciousness. And in her line of work that was never a good sign.

Everything was eerily quiet she couldn't hear anything, and all she felt was something cold and hard beneath her. Breathing! Straining her ears she could hear somebody breathing. Opening her eyes she thought for one terrifying second she had gone blind as everything was still dark, before she was a flashing red and green light coming from up to the side of the direction she was facing.

She was lying in a dark room with another person. Still she couldn't quite seem to remember where she was. Although a niggling sensation in the back of her mind told her it was important that she did.

Slowly she stood, only to realize that a giant pounding in her head nearly brought her back down. And just like a veil being ripped away pain flooded her badly: her Head, chest navel and her entire left side felt like and giant bruise. She even thought her left shoulder might be dislocated.

She took a painful breath and steadied herself on her feet, holding in a pained filled groan. She brought a hand to the left side of her head only to come into contact with something wet. Because of the pain in her head she would guess it was blood. Her blood, just what she needed on top of everything else. Resolutely she pushed all her pain in the back of her mind as she slowly made her way closer to the breathing. As she shuffled her feet along she started digging in her multitude of pockets until her hand found the object she was looking for.

With a grin of triumph she pulled out her emergency flashlight and turned it on. She quickly took in her surroundings. In the dark the room looked kind of familiar but she couldn't quite figure out why. Turning from the metal walls and railings above her head she looked towards the other person in the room with her.

She sucked in a breath, there lying in a crumpled heap was Victor. His face was covered in blood along with his hair and a small pool surrounding his prone body. Her pains quickly forgotten she scrambled over to him. She knew he was still alive due to his breathing, but his pulse was weak and it looked like he had lost a lot of blood already. His face was covered in deep and superficial cuts and she quickly checked over his body for any more injuries. He seemed banged up pretty bad but other than that nothing major besides the bleeding. She took his coat and bundled it under his head propping it up, before she look out the miniature first aid kit she carried with her. She cleaned his face of blood as best she could then quickly sterilized the wounds and butterfly taped the larger wounds closed.

With his wounds taken care of she tried to rouse him. But to her growing frustration and worry he wouldn't wake. With no other choice she left him where he lay and moved to the upper layer in the room. Climbing up the stair she came to a high tech computer that seemed to line half of the wall. Ignoring it she moved to the large sealed metal door. She couldn't find a handle or a keypad. Nothing that would get it to open, and no hinges. With the door sealed and unable to get out she returned to computer system.

Moving slowly she tried to figure out what it was for and how to turn it on. She came to the blinking light that had called her attention earlier. They lay to the side of a dark computer screen she had seen switches and buttons running along the length of the system but right there next to the lights was a power symbol etched into a button. Letting out a wry laugh she thanked whoever built the system for not overly complicating the thing. She pressed the button hoping beyond hope that it work.

The screen flashed and came alive before her. A triumphant grin spread through her lips. The smile didn't last long as she began working through the computer and the information. And suddenly it hit her, how she knew the room and the system she was. It was the same equipment that NASA used on that damn training exercise that she had to do. With that she remembered Victor's Plan and Richards, grimes and the damn trip to the space station.

With a quicker speed and sense of time she quickly navigated the computer. The life-systems where obviously still on and the storm didn't seem to have damaged the integrity of the building. She power the back-up lights throughout the station on and she was bathed in a soft glow and a slow humming filled the room. Satisfied with that she quickly open the door with a hiss and a slight grinding they opened. She began moving heading out the door planning on checking to see how the rest of the passengers fared. She herself couldn't quite believe that anyone was still breathing.

Just as she past the doors threshold however her attention was brought back to the computer by a shrill beeping that began behind her. Turning and moving back into the room she saw one of the screens had lit up. Coming closer to it she realized that there was a face looking up from the screen. He seemed to be talking but there was no noise to go along with the image. She quickly moved over to the screen and began to try and turn the sound on. As soon as she came within the man's visual he became excited and began trying to talk to her very quickly. She gestured with her hands telling him she couldn't hear. He nodded in understand and began fiddling around his station trying to fix it from that side.

Which was good because she didn't have the slightest clue how to fix the mega computer. The pounding in her head and her aching body was not helping her thought process one bit. With a little time now on her hands she turned and reached over to the metal railing behind her and wrapped her left hand around the bar and knelt down till her arm was level, then with a deep breath she jerked the rest of her body forward and to the side. With a loud pop her shoulder joint was forced back together. With clenched teeth she release the railing and straighten up.

Shaking her hand she turned back to the screen there was a new, older face now shown on the computer screen. This man was calm with his face turned to down as he worked on something outside of what the camera showed.

"ALrighty now, that should'a fixed it. Let's see." A voice poured out over the speakers. Relief flashed though Charlie and she took a step closer to the screen. She could at least now get help up here.

"Can you hear me on this end? I hope so because I have no idea how to make anything else turn on."

"That's quite alright." The man on the screen had a grin on his face, which faded as he actually took in her appearance.

"You look like you've had a rough time of it. Is anyone else alive? What's the condition of the station will it hold until we can get another team up there?"

"I have only run across Mr. Von Doom at this time, he's alive, unconscious and badly injured but alive. As for the rest I'm not sure, we were the only two that made it to the shielded part of the station. I haven't left yet to find them. What the Hell happened? I thought we had six more hours till the Damn Storm hit. You what never mind, what do I need to do to get ready for you guys to be here?" His face was stoic as she finished.

"That's not good. Cheek the power level on this station it needs to hold until our team can reach you. It will be some time until we get out there. We already had a team prepped just in case, just like was planned and, they started moving the minute we saw there was activity, but it still will take some time. The first thing is to attend to the rest of your team. Find them, see if any are alive still, and if they can be move get them to the medical bay. Try to get everyone there. The rest of the station we can pretty much control the rest of the station and shut down unnecessary systems once you get there. Keep in contact as much as you can. We already started running a scan of the damage done from our end. So we'll know soon better what we have to deal with. Are you in a state to do that?"

She felt her head nodding, she felt terrible and very muddled. Off she just felt off, but that was probably the concussion, not to mention the bruises, scrape and burns that littered her body. but she wouldn't allow herself to stop until she had everyone else safe and secure.

She finally had something she could do. She could last as long as they needed her.

"I'll get it done and make a report back to you when I can. See if you can return the rest of the lights in this place."

She gave one last glance to Victor's prone and battered body and moved out of the room. The hallway was partially lit by the emergency system that she had powered on earlier but barely enough to see with, luckily the hallways were pretty clear, no structural damage that she could see and only a few scattered loose odds and ends.

Moving quickly down the hall headed in the direction that she had come from it seemed days ago. She hope the rest were alive, she prayed that she wouldn't have to see their corpses scattered across the station, but them not being in the safe room of the station it didn't seem likely.

Finally she limped around the corner to where she had last seen the rest of the crew and paused for a moment. Her gaze travelled to three body crumpled into heaps on the floor.

Quickly she began moving forward again, reaching the closest one if seconds. It was Johnny storm lying on his back his face completely slack. In the sickly blue light he appeared frozen, which was so far from his usual fiery passion that it had her sucking in a breath before she continued. Her hand darted to his neck as she watch his rest to see if it would rise.

It did and she felt a fluttered racing pulse under her fingers. He was cold, which didn't surprise her. She quickly ran through a medical check; nothing was broken that she could tell, ribs looked fine and as far as she could see no internal bleeding. She would double check that later when she was able to get him to the medical bay. All she had found was a large bump on his head. She laid her hand softly on his forehead before she moved on to check the other. Doing her best to not think about the fate of the man who hadn't been able to make it back inside.

Sue and Reed were tangled together as they lay. Looking just as slack and still as Johnny. She quickly looked both over relieve to find similar results to Johnny. No broken bones, she could move them all to medical without too much complications.

She left the three there and quickly retrieved a back board and carefully move Johnny over on to it. She didn't have access to a stretcher and this was the best it was going to get. She dragged the board to the medical bay. Once inside it took a little time to get him up on one of the stationary tables. She strapped him down and placed an oxygen mask over his face before leaving for the rest of the crew. She efficiently repeated the process with the other three. Victor being the hardest because of his position on the wrong end of the stairs.

With all of them strapped into table, oxygen feeding into their unconscious forms and a blanket to retain heat in the dropping temperatures as the station systems slowed. She made her way over to the computer, and willed away the pain and exhaustion that constantly was trying to cloud her mind and slow her body.

She quickly made her report of what she was found and answered the multitude of question that the men and women down on the planet posed to her about the storm and the insinuating effects on the station and the people aboard her.

After it seemed she had been milked of every detail she could. She begged off saying she needed to return to the rest of the team. With Marching orders to secure the Med bay and shut off all other parts of the station in order to sustain them until the rescue party could reach them. She was told that would be earliest would be 12 hours to them docking but it might take a little longer depending on the shuttles takeoff and what the stations docks looked like.

Leaving the computer and the scientist behind her she return to the hallway, but instead of going to the medical bay she made her way over to the access hatch the dark reflective glass showing a distorted reflection of her as she made her way closer to the porthole where Ben Grimes should have been received back into the structure. As she reached it she laid her head against the cool glass and let out a long breath. The tiredness and pain finally catching up to her. She was cold, so very cold. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep.

She leaned into that glass and felt each pounding beat of her pulse in her head, the bruises that lay deep in the tissues around her body and the swollen and irritated tendons and ligaments in her abused left shoulder.

But she mustn't sleep. Not yet. She hadn't finished her job yet, and so with a painful groan she straighten up again, but before she could turn Something near the floor on the other side of the glass caught her eye. She squatted down to get a closer look. She felt shock run through her as she realized it was a thick white glove with metal facets running through. She jumped you and with her heart pumping moved to the control panel on the side of the door pressing a quick sequence of button the glass parted and disappeared into the wall.

She quickly moved over the threshold and knelt down next to the suited body of ben grimes. With her heart in her throat she began working off the big puffy white suit. It seemed to take hours, and her fingers where trembling horribly. She paused a moment to take a deep breath and get control of herself. She was usually so in control of her emotions and actions, being in this floating tin can was getting to her. She forced her hands still and lowered her heart's pounding before she refocused on getting the suit off enough to see if the man inside was alive.

When she finally got enough of the suit off, she immediately watch as his unconscious form expelled a breath. And she let her shoulders fall momentarily as the relief rushed through her. They had made it, all of them.

She sat there for a few more seconds before she went and fetched the back board once again. When she returned Grimm's was in the same place with shallow breaths still coming from his parted lips.

She checked him over the best she could with his suit still on, she was pretty sure he had a couple of broken ribs and one of his arms was definitely swollen. But the neck and spine looked fine.

She had just strapped him onto the back board when a loud clanging rang out across the station and suddenly everything was floating. A light started flashing in the room behind her as she and the unconscious form of Ben Grimm was no longer held down to the floor hover in the air. For whatever reason the artificial Gravity system had shut off. She was hoping it was one of the idiots back on the planet and not the station starting to collapse.

She finished securing Benn to the Board glad that she had him already in it before the gravity gave way and slowly drifted to the wall. Once she angle her hold on the board so she could push off from the wall and back towards the medical center.

She continued to drag Grimm's this way, pushing from one wall or structure to the next. When she got to the medical bay she was relieved to see the table straps holding everyone to the table. Unfortunately she couldn't say the same for the blankest. She moved to the last of the tables. Struggling with moving all her limbs correctly, all they seemed to want to do was twitch and never move again. Which was making her movements clumsy and she almost launched Ben into a wall when her foot caught on a table corner.

She managed to get him on the table and strapped loosely in it. She was trying to figure out how to get the suit off but she couldn't figure out the box on the back. Suddenly a hand swan into her vison and Johnny's blonde head bent over the suit and began unlatching the giant white monstrosity.

She hadn't realized he was awake. She was to tired to be upset with herself for the lapse.

"I'll get this off of him if you want to finish getting the others ready… How long before they send someone up?"

She nodded and moved to gather the floating blankets.

"Houston said at least 12 hours but the guy I spoke to thinks it will be longer. Something about protocols and less advance shuttles."

As they both went around with the self-assigned tasks, they spoke low quiet and comfortingly. He told her all the reasons why it would take them longer than that to get up here and went into all the details of the steps that were being taken down on the planet.

She knew he was smart but she realized listening to him that she had under estimated him. She had to set up IV lines for everyone there and collect all of the debris that the storm had cause and secure it so it would cause any harm to someone. Johnny finished with Ben and she helped him put the IV line in and the blanket on. They talked the whole time about everything from Bens recovery to hobbies that they wanted to do back down on earth. He grinned when she told him of Her Indian Scout that she had been planning on driving during her vacation. And she smiled when he hold her of his relief for Bens safety.

She was glad that someone else was awake for this and she wasn't alone on this forsaken pile of metal. The companionship the two shared while they worked and then as they sat together strapped into one of the table to keep from floating off was warm solid and she soon felt herself drifting.

…

As she was dragged back to consciousness she felt a dryness in her throat as she breathed in air, and she was cold. Coughing she sat up and looked around. Everything was the same as before save for the time showing on the digital clock in the wall and Johnny's new position on a table of his own.

She had been asleep for 10 hours and her body was stiff and ached liked never before. Her shoulder was swollen and it burned and sent screaming agony up to her brain whenever she moved it.

She looked around. She needed to get hydrated and she wouldn't say no to any amount of food either. She moved slowly in her search trying not to aggravate her wounds anymore then completely necessary. Luckily the station was prepared for all kinds of senario's so she found everything she needed and then some.

After taking care of her body's needs she checked on the rest of the team. Everyone else seemed stable but it looked like none had a return to conscious and she wasn't sure if they would. No one knew what the effects of this storm.

She strapped back into her table and waited.

The hours crawled by and everything stayed the same. There seemed not to be any physical evidence of the passing time. No one awoke, there was no light change and no change in the temperature everything was cold, dark and isolated. A few more hours crawled by and sleep evaded her much to her body's protest her mind would not shut off.

Still time passed and her thoughts turned to the after effects and damage control what would need doing once she was in a position to do it. So she planned more grateful than ever for her contingency plans.

Still more time passed it had been twelve hours since she had awoken from her sleep and twenty-Five since the storm had encompassed the station. And still she waited. This time dozing lightly her body still not quite able to reach a deeper type of sleep.

When she surface to consciousness fully again six more hours had passed, making it thirty- one hours since the melt down. She wondered how much longer it would take for the rescue team to get to them.

She wondered on the state of her crewmates by the time the backup crew did reach them. She was the only one to have eaten in the past twenty-eight hours.

It was thirteen more hours of fitful sleeping and stressful confinement till the rescue team docked and entered the station. A total of forty-four hours on the floating hunk of metal.

One of the speakers near the wall erupted with sound bringing Charlie to full consciousness and her attention to the device. A voice poured out of the speaker and she trembled with relief. The first voice since she had gone to sleep after the storm had hit.

"Hello? Hello can anyone hear me, anyone still moving up here."

It took her a second to get the right button to make the speaker work.

"Hello back. It's Charlie O'Brien, I am the only one conscious. We are all in the Med-Bay."

They was silence for a second before the speaker crackled again.

"Good Charlie. That will make things easier. Stay there we will come to you. Alright?"

"Sounds good to me. Only Johnny Storm has returned to consciousness and that was almost forty hours ago."

"Good to know O'Brien, we'll be there shortly. Sit tight."

It seems to take no time at all before the team was at the door and walking her thought how to let them into the bay. Everything after that was a blur of movement.

She was on a cloud of exhaustion and pain. She trusted them to know their jobs and let them check her over before helping load her onto the shuttle they had boarded with. She fell asleep shortly after that.

A.N

Thanks everyone for reading. I had this chapter written before the last one so I decided to post it right away instead of waiting. I edit my chapters a little but if anyone is interested in editing them let me know. Now we getting to the interesting part of the story. Cheers


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